Foldable utility table



July 30, 1968 E. PEARLMAN 3,394,666

FOIJDABLE UTILITY TABLE Filed March 17, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l w/1vPA24MA4J INVENTOR.

United States Patent "ice 3,394,666 FOLDABLE UTILITY TABLE EdwinPearlman, 19720 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, Calif. 91364 Filed Mar.17, 1967, Ser. No. 624,013 11 Claims. (Cl. 108-129) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A folding table is provided having a frame for supporting atable top, a plurality of drawer storage compartments. opening fromopposite ends of the frame and a pair of lateral leg storagecompartments on opposite sides of the frame for each housing a pair offolded legs. Each leg is pivotally secured to the frame by a pin andincludes a stop member to limit pivotal movement thereof when the leg isdownwardly and outwardly extended and magnetic closure means toreleasably retain each leg in the extended position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention This inventionrelates to folding tables and, more particularly, to a novel foldabletable having storage compartments for storing pivotally folding legswherein the legs in their stored position are adapted to swingdownwardly by the force of gravity and outwardly by virtue of thegenerated momentum so that the legs may be extended by the user as thefolded table is being removed from its storage location.

2. Description of the prior art Attempts have been made in the past toprovide a folding table having a frame on which is fixed a table top andincluding a plurality of hingeable legs disposed with respect to theframe so as to be collapsed and stored therein when the table is not inuse. Such examples of foldable tables are disclosed in US. LettersPatent 1,636; 912, 2,115,727 and 2,681,841 for example. However,difficulties and problems have been encountered with such conventionaldevices inasmuch as the legs in their collapsed or folded conditionwithin the frame do not automatically advance into a table supportingposition when the table is desired for use. Generally, it is requiredthat either two persons cooperate together to both support and unfoldthe legs so that the table can be supported by itself or a single personmust manipulate the table by placing it on its end or side while thelegs are unfolded and then maneuver the table so that it is supported onits legs. Obviously, such manual manipulation is cumbersome, awkward andrequires a certain amount of forethought and planning on the part of theuser preparatory to the unfolding or folding operation.

Furthermore, the prior art folding tables do not lend themselves topermit the legs to automatically unfold when the table is being removedfrom a storage area. Positive action is required on the part of the userto intentionally deploy each of the legs prior to the table being incondition for supporting itself. In some instances, elaborate mechanismsand spring biasing devices are incorporated in connection with each ofthe foldable legs to not only bias the leg in either a folded orunfolded position but to brace or support each leg with respect to thetable frame and top so that the table is stable in its unfoldedcondition. Obviously, the employment of springs and other mechanicalbracing mechanisms increases the cost of manufacture and the complexityof the devices not only has a tendency to frustrate the user 3,394,666Patented July 30, 1968 but presents certain repair and maintenanceproblems which are comparatively expensive to solve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The novel folding table apparatus of thepresent invention obviates the difii-culties and problems encounteredwith the prior art by providing a frame for supporting a table top andhaving a plurality of drawer compartments opening from opposite ends ofthe frame and four legs pivotally mounted at the four corners of theframe which are adapted to diverge downwardly and outwardly in twoplanes when unfolded to support the frame and table top. Each of thelegs is mounted by only a single pivot pin which is transverse to alongitudinal slot or receiver leading into lateral leg storagecompartments located on opposite sides of the frame into which a pair oflegs is pivotally recessed when the table is folded. The pins forpivotally mounting each of the legs are located at a distance upwardlyspaced from the downwardly facing entrance to the slot leading to eachlateral compartment such that the edge of each leg abuts against a stopmember located at each end of the slot when a respective leg is pivotedinto its full downward and outward position, wherein such abutmentprevents further movement of the leg and causes the table to besupported on the extended legs at both the pivot pin and the top memberlocations of each leg.

Additionally, a magnet means is included at a corresponding location onthe stop member and its associated leg to effectively cause theseelements to draw together and to be retained together in abuttingcontact engagement therebetween. Therefore, when the table is liftedupwardly with the legs in an initially folded position, the legs mayswing downwardly by the force of gravity out of the respective lateralcompartments and downwardly by virtue of momentum until magneticengagement occurs between each leg and its associated sto memberwhereupon the table can be lowered with its legs ready for groundengagement.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide anovel foldable utility table having pivotally mounted legs which areadapted to unfold from lateral storage compartments located on oppositesides of a frame in a downwardly direction by the force of gravity andoutwardly by virtue of momentum.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novelarrangement of folding legs with respect to a table top that may bereadily unfolded by the forces of gravity and momentum as the table isbeing unloaded from a vehicle or carrier in an elevated position wherebythe unfolding of the legs may be accomplished by a single person in aconvenient manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel foldingutility table wherein the legs may be collapsed into compact form tooccupy the least possible space when not in use and to facilitate theunfolding of the legs from the table by an individual when it is desiredto do so.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel utilitytable wherein the legs therefor are readily selectively nnfoldable fromtheir storage position by rneans of a manually operated retention pinthat effectively permits selected ones of the legs to unfold preparatoryto the unfolding of the other legs.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novelfolding utility table wherein the legs are adapted to swing downwardlyand outwardly from their stored position including magnetic means forreleasably retaining the legs in their downward and outward position.

Yet -a further object of the present invention is to provide a novelutility table having a plurality of pivotal legs mounted thereon whichincludes a stop member for limiting the swinging movement of each of thelegs when the legs are released by a pin retention means in apreselected order, said preselected order being determined by the userof the table to facilitate the unfolding of all of the legs included inthe plurality.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The features of the present invention whichare believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in theappended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization andmanner of operation, together with further objects and advantagesthereof, may best be understood by reference to the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the novel utility table of the presentinvention illustrating the table partially unfolded in solid lines andas employed in conjunction with the tailgate of a vehicle during anunloading procedure and illustrating the table in its folded conditionin broken lines for storage within the vehicle;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the utility table shown inFIGURE 1 and illustrating a portion of the table top as broken away toexpose the plurality of storage compartments provided for therebeneath;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the table showing a portionbroken away to expose one of the pair of lateral leg storage.compartments employed to house a pair of legs associated with one sideof the table showing a pair of legs in their stored position;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the table shown in FIGURE 3illustrating a portion of the lateral compartment broken away toillustrate the legs folded therein;

- FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the table shown FIGURE 3 astaken in the direction of arrows 55 thereof;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarge-d fragmentary view, in section, of a detent meansemployed to releasably retain a leg in its extended position; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a releasable pin meansfor retaining the legs associated with one side of the table in theirstored position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGURE 1, the novelfoldable utility table is indicated in the general direction of arrow 10and is illustrated in conjunction with a vehicle 11. The table 10 isadapted to be collapsed or folded as illustrated in broken lines andstored in the rear end of the vehicle 11. Although the vehicle 11 isillustrated as being of the station wagon type, it is to be understoodthat the table in its folded condition may be stored in a trunk ofpassenger vehicles or other types of carriers. As illustrated in solidlines, one end of the table 10 is supported on a tailgate 12 pivotallycarried on the end of the vehicle 11 so that it can "be seen that thetable may be initially removed from the vehicle and a first set of legsdeployed simultaneously.

In general, the foldable table 10 includes a table top 13 supported on abox frame 14 which is provided with lateral storage compartments 15 and16 in which the legs for the table may be stored when the table is inits collapsed or folded condition. As shown in FIGURE 1, legs 17 and 18are disposed in table supporting position so that one end of the tableis supported while the opposite end of the table is supported on thetailgate 12. The other legs associated with the end opposite to the endsupported by legs 17 and 18 are in the respective storage compartments15 and 16. In this manner, the table 10 is adequately supported so thatit may be used at roadside locations when it is not intended to use theutility table in its completely unfolded condition.

Disposed between the lateral leg storage compartments 15 and 16, here isprovided a plurality of storage compartments taking the form of drawers,such as drawer 20, which adapted to slide on the frame 14 to outwardlyextend from opposite ends of the table. When the table is supported fromthe tailgate 12, the table is extremely stable and is capable ofsustaining substantially heavy weights or loads on the top 13 since thetable is supported on the ground by means of vehicle wheels 21 and theextended legs 17 and 18.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the utility table 10 is illustrated in itsfully unfolded condition wherein both ends of the table are supported bythe legs. One side of the table is supported by a pair of legsconsisting of leg 17 and a leg 21 while the opposite side of the tableis supported by a pair of legs consisting of leg 18 and an identical leg(not shown) located on the side of the table as leg 18 but at its otherend. Drawer compartment 20 is shown partially opened as indicated inbroken lines so that it projects from one end of the table. A similardrawer indicated by numeral 22 is illustrated in broken lines as beingpartially extended from the opposite end of the table. Drawers 20 and 22are arranged in backto-back relationship so that the rearmost panels ofthe drawers almost abut, the front panel of each drawer having a flangedperiphery adapted to engage the respective opposite ends of the tableframe.

Additional drawer compartments 23 and 24 are incorporated into the frame14 in a similar manner to drawers 20 and 22. Also, it is to be notedthat the drawer storage compartments may take the form of tiereddrawers, such as is represented by drawers 25 and 26. Other drawerarrangements may be readily accommodated by the box frame 14, ifdesired. Preferably, each of the drawers included in the drawer storagecompartment system is slidably mounted on the box frame 14 so as to bemovable through openings provided in the end of the frame by means of aconventional drawer slide arrangement such as is indicated by guidetrack 27 on one side of drawer 20. Such an arrangement generallyincludes a portion which partially projects from the end of the frame 14to support the drawer in its open or extended position and whichcooperates with members outwardly projecting from opposite sides of eachdrawer, such as member 28, so that the guide track 27 operates as asupport and a guide for the extended drawer.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 in detail, means are shown to effectivelyseparate the various drawer compartments of the drawer compartmentsystem including a plurality of partitions, such as is indicated bynumerals 30 and 31 and which are employed to mount the respective drawerguide and track arrangement 27. When the drawers are closed within theend members of the box frame 14, the bottom of each drawer rests on thebottom of the frame 14. However, when desired in some instances, thebottom of frame 14 can be left open and the various drawers can besupported by the guide and track arrangement 27 in which case thedrawers are supported from the partitions located on opposite sides ofeach drawer.

FIGURES 3-5 inclusive more clearly illustrate the lateral leg storagecompartment 15 in which legs 17 and 21 are housed when the legs are intheir folded position. Compartment 16 is identical thereto for thestorage of legs associated with the other side of the table. It is to benoted that a bracket 32 is provided within the storage compartment 15that extends along the full length of the compartment from one end ofthe table to its opposite end as noted in FIGURE 5. The bracket 32defines a receiver or slot 33 opening downwardly from the bottom offrame 14 so as to accommodate the pair of legs 21 and 17. The width ofthe receiver 33 is sufficient to accommodate the combined width of eachleg so that the legs will lie adjacent each other in side-by-siderelationship within the full length of the receiver when the legs are intheir folded condition. Such relationship is best shown in FIG- URE 5.In order to maintain the legs in their stored position withincompartment 15, a retainer pin 34 is provided having a shank which ismounted on the side of compartment and extends through the bracket 32and through the receiver 33 immediately below the uppermost storedposition of the pair of legs 17 and 21 so that the legs rest thereon.Construction in this manner enables the legs 17 and 21 to be maintainedin their folded and stored position.

As viewed in FIGURE 7, the retainer pin 34 includes a shank 35 that isprovided with annular grooves 36-38 inclusive which are arranged infixed spaced apart relationship along the length thereof. Each of theannular grooves is adapted to cooperate with a detent means 40 thatincludes a spring biased detent ball 41 so that the retainer pin 34 maybe releasably held in three positions. The detent means 40 cooperatingwith groove 36 releasably holds the pin 34 so that shank 35 extendsbeneath both legs 17 and 21 so that the legs will not unfold. When thedetent means 40 engages with annular groove 37, only the extremeterminating end of shank 35 will be maintained within the receiver 33 tosupport leg 21. This condition permits leg 17 to move out of receiver 33and storage compartment 15 to its extended position as shown in FIGURE 1while leg 21 is still maintained within the compartment. When detentmeans 40 is releasably engaged with annular groove 38, both legs 17 and21 are free to move out of their stored position within compartment 15into their fully extended position as shown in FIGURE 2.

As shown more clearly in FIGURES 4 and 5, each of the respective legsare mounted between bracket 32 and partition 30 in the case of legs 17and 21, by means of a pivot pin, such as pin 42. By pivoting one end ofeach leg in this manner, each leg will be free to leave its respectivestorage compartment via the force of gravity so that the legs will swingdownwardly and outwardly by momentum. The downward movement and swingingaction of each leg is somewhat restricted by means of an expansionspring 43 carried by each pivot pin 42 between the side wall of bracket32 and the leg in the case of leg 17, and abutting against the extremeend of leg 21 and the partition 30 in the case of leg 21. The downwardswinging movement of each leg is terminated by encounter with a stopmember 44 carried by the frame 14 at the extreme opposite ends of eachelongated receiver 33. Preferably, each stop member 44 is angularlydisposed with respect to a vertical plane so that each leg will extendnot only downwardly but outwardly when each leg is in its completelyunfolded position so as to provide structural support for stabilizingthe table. In order to achieve a firm closure and engagement between theend of each leg adjacent its pivot 42 with its respective stop member44, magnetic means are provided to effect engagement therebetweenwhereupon the table can be lowered with its legs ready for groundengagement. Such magnetic means may include a pair of flat magnets 45and 46 of opposite polarity which are carried on the end of each legadjacent its pivot connection and each stop member 44 respectively.

With respect to FIGURE 6, detent means are illustrated for releasablyretaining each of the legs in its outward and downward position when thelegs are unfolded. Such means comprises a detent member 47 carried byeach leg, such as leg 21 as shown, that includes a spring biased member48 that projects outwardly from the side of the leg and which is adaptedto releasably engage with an aperture 50 provided in partition 30 withrespect to leg 17. In the case of leg 21, for example, the aperture willbe placed in the side wall of bracket 33 as is represented by numeral51. The relationship of the detent means 47 with respect to itscorresponding aperture bears a direct relationship to the closureposition of each leg with its respective stop member 44 so that each legwill be retained in its downward and outward position against the stopmember when the member 48 of the detent means 47 is biased into itsrespective aperture.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the novel foldable utility tableof the present invention provides a table wherein the legs may bepartially unfolded as illustrated in FIGURE 1 so that the table issupported only on legs 17 and 18 while the opposite end of the table maybe supported on the tailgate of a vehicle. Such a position is extremelyuseful in unloading the table from a vehicle in that a person mayreadily pull the completely folded table out from its storagecompartment within the vehicle as shown in broken lines and when thetable has been withdrawn therefrom at a point beyond its mid-section,retainer pin 35 may be partially removed from its position shown inFIGURE 7 to a point where detent means 40 engages with annular groove37. When the retainer pin 35 has been so positioned, leg 17 will swingdownwardly by the force of gravity and outwardly by virtue of momentumuntil magnetic engagement occurs by magnets 45 and 46 and the swingingmovement of the leg stopped by member 44. At this time, the detent means47 will engage with its respective aperture and the leg will bestabilized.

Next, the table may now be either used in this position in conjunctionwith the vehicle or the table may be further withdrawn from the vehicletailgate so that the extreme edge of frame 14 is resting thereon. Theuser may now withdraw retention pin 34 to a location where detent 40engages with annular groove 38 which will permit leg 21 on one side ofthe table and its other leg associated with the other side of the table(when the pin retainer means associated with compartment 16 is actuated)to swing downwardly and outwardly in the same fashion as legs 17 and 18so that all four legs are fully extended and the unfolded table is ready!for use.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in theappended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable utility table comprising:

a box frame having a top, opposite ends and sides, each of said sidesforming lateral storage compartments having a longitudinal slot openinginto each of said compartments from the underside of said box frame;

a pair of legs disposed in each of said lateral storage compartmentsadapted to move upwardly therein to a folded position and to movedownwardly and out wardly to an unfolded position; and

means pivotally mounting each of said legs respectively at a locationadjacent to each of the opposite ends of said longitudinal slotassociated with each of said lateral storage compartments whereby eachof said pair of legs are adapted to be deployed into said unfoldedposition to support the table by the forces of gravity and momentum; and

retainer pin means associated with each of said l-a-teral storagecompartments adapted to selectively release each leg of each pair so asto extend or deploy a selected one of each of said pair of legsseparately and individually.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including stop means carried bysaid box frame at the extreme terminating end of each of said slotsassociated with each of said lateral storage compartments operable tointerfere with the pivotal movement of said legs and to limit theoutward extent of said legs upon abutting engagement of said legs wiheach of said respective stop means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 including said pin meansconstituting manually operated elongated means slidably carried on eachof said lateral storage compartments transverse to the major length ofsaid slots and adapted to hold said pairs of legs in their foldedposition and adapted to selectively release each leg of said pair inaccordance with a predetermined order of release.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 including an elongated receivedmounted in each of said lateral storage compartments defining saidlongitudinal slot opening and having a width suitable to accommodate thecombined thickness of one of said pair of legs.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 including closure means mountedon each leg of said pair adjacent its associated pivot location and onsaid box frame at the extreme terminating end of each of said slotsassociated with each of said lateral storage compartments operable inresponse to deploy ment of each leg of said pairs to effect a positiveand releasable abutting engagement therebetween.

6. A foldable utility table comprising:

a box frame having a top, opposite ends and sides, each of said sidesforming lateral storage compartments having a longitudinal slot openinginto each of said compartments from the underside of said box frame;

a pair of legs disposed in each of said lateral storage compartmentsadapted to move upwardly therein to a folded position and to movedownwardly and outwardly to an unfolded position;

means pivotally mounting each of said legs respectively at a locationadjacent to each of the opposite ends of said longitudinal slotassociated with each of said lateral storage compartments whereby eachof said pair of legs are adapted to be deployed into said unfoldedposition to support the table by the forces of gravity and momentum;

stop means carried by said box frame at the extreme terminating end ofeach of said slots associated with each of said lateral storagecompartments operable to interfere with the pivotal movement of saidlegs and to limit the outward extent of said legs upon abuttingengagement of said legs with each of said respective stop means; and

retainer pin means associated with each of said lateral storagecompartments adapted to selectively release each leg of each pair so asto extend or deploy a selected one of each of said pair of legsseparately and individually.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 including magnetic closure meansmounted on each leg of said pair adjacent its associated pivot locationand on each of said respective stop means operable in response todeployment of each leg of said pairs to effect a positive and releasableabutting engagement therebetween.

8. The invention as defined in claim 1 including detent biasing meanscarried on each leg of said pairs operable in cooperation with aselected portion of each of said lateral storage compartments toreleasably retain each leg of said pairs in said unfolded position.

9. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said retainer pin meansincludes a headed pin having at least three annular grooves formed alongthe length of its shank in spaced apart relationship to each other, saidshank to support said legs in their folded position and adapted to bemoved to any one of three positions corresponding to said annulargrooves whereby selected ones of said legs may be deployed to theirextended and unfolded position.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 including detent biasing meanscarried on each of said lateral storage compartments operable toreleasably hold each of said retainer pin means in any one of said threepositions.

11. The invention as defined in claim 8 including a plurality of drawercompartments slidably carried on said box frame between the saidopposite sides thereof and adapted to open outwardly from said oppositeends of said box frame to achieve access to each of said drawercompartments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,679,017 7/1928 Athans 312/-2432,574,592 11/1951 Schatter.

3,033,630 5/1962 Mugler 108129 3,152,709 10/1964 Fowler 108l29 X3,156,510 11/1964 Hindin et al. 108-129 X BOBBY R. GAY, PrimaryExaminer.

' GLENN O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

